Autumn Floods｜Zhuangzi

秋（qiū）水（shuǐ）时（shí）至（zhì），（）百（bǎi）川（chuān）灌（guàn）河（hé）。（）泾（jīng）流（liú）之（zhī）大（dà），（）两（liǎng）涘（sì）渚（zhǔ）崖（yá）之（zhī）间（jiān），（）不（bù）辩（biàn）牛（niú）马（mǎ）。（）于（yú）是（shì）焉（yān）河（hé）伯（bó）欣（xīn）然（rán）自（zì）喜（xǐ），（）以（yǐ）天（tiān）下（xià）之（zhī）美（měi）为（wèi）尽（jǐn）在（zài）己（jǐ）。（）顺（shùn）流（liú）而（ér）东（dōng）行（xíng），（）至（zhì）于（yú）北（běi）海（hǎi），（）东（dōng）面（miàn）而（ér）视（shì），（）不（bú）见（jiàn）水（shuǐ）端（duān）。（）

The autumn floods came in their season, and the hundred streams poured into the Yellow River. The flow was so great that between the two banks and the sandbars and cliffs one could not tell an ox from a horse. Thereupon the River Lord was delighted and pleased with himself, believing that all the beauty in the world was concentrated in him. He followed the current eastward until he came to the North Sea; looking east, he could not see the end of the water.

于（yú）是（shì）焉（yān）河（hé）伯（bó）始（shǐ）旋（xuán）其（qí）面（miàn）目（mù），（）望（wàng）洋（yáng）向（xiàng）若（ruò）而（ér）叹（tàn）曰（yuē）：（）“（）野（yě）语（yǔ）有（yǒu）之（zhī）曰（yuē）：（）‘（）闻（wén）道（dào）百（bǎi），（）以（yǐ）为（wéi）莫（mò）己（jǐ）若（ruò）者（zhě）。（）’（）

Only then did the River Lord change his expression. Gazing out at the ocean and facing Ruo, he sighed and said: 'There is a rustic saying: One who has heard the Way a hundred times believes that no one is his equal.'

我（wǒ）之（zhī）谓（wèi）也（yě）。（）且（qiě）夫（fū）我（wǒ）尝（cháng）闻（wén）少（shǎo）仲（zhòng）尼（ní）之（zhī）闻（wén）而（ér）轻（qīng）伯（bó）夷（yí）之（zhī）义（yì）者（zhě），（）始（shǐ）吾（wú）弗（fú）信（xìn）。（）今（jīn）我（wǒ）睹（dǔ）子（zi）之（zhī）难（nán）穷（qióng）也（yě），（）吾（wú）非（fēi）至（zhì）于（yú）子（zi）之（zhī）门（mén）则（zé）殆（dài）矣（yǐ），（）吾（wú）长（zhǎng）见（jiàn）笑（xiào）于（yú）大（dà）方（fāng）之（zhī）家（jiā）。（）”（）

That describes me. Moreover, I once heard of people who made little of Zhongni's learning and thought lightly of Boyi's righteousness; at first I did not believe it. Now that I see how inexhaustible you are, had I not come to your gate, I would have been in danger; I would have been laughed at forever by the great masters.

北（běi）海（hǎi）若（ruò）曰（yuē）：（）“（）井（jǐng）蛙（wā）不（bù）可（kě）以（yǐ）语（yǔ）于（yú）海（hǎi）者（zhě），（）拘（jū）于（yú）虚（xū）也（yě）；（）夏（xià）虫（chóng）不（bù）可（kě）以（yǐ）语（yǔ）于（yú）冰（bīng）者（zhě），（）笃（dǔ）于（yú）时（shí）也（yě）；（）曲（qū）士（shì）不（bù）可（kě）以（yǐ）语（yǔ）于（yú）道（dào）者（zhě），（）束（shù）于（yú）教（jiào）也（yě）。（）今（jīn）尔（ěr）出（chū）于（yú）崖（yá）涘（sì），（）观（guān）于（yú）大（dà）海（hǎi），（）乃（nǎi）知（zhī）尔（ěr）丑（chǒu），（）尔（ěr）将（jiāng）可（kě）与（yǔ）语（yǔ）大（dà）理（lǐ）矣（yǐ）。（）

Beihai Ruo said: 'You cannot speak with a well frog about the sea, for it is confined by its hollow; you cannot speak with a summer insect about ice, for it is bound fast by its season; you cannot speak with a one-sided scholar about the Way, for he is tied down by his teaching. Now you have come out from the riverbanks and looked upon the great sea, and only now do you realize your own limitations. You may then be spoken with about the great principle.'

天（tiān）下（xià）之（zhī）水（shuǐ），（）莫（mò）大（dà）于（yú）海（hǎi）：（）万（wàn）川（chuān）归（guī）之（zhī），（）不（bù）知（zhī）何（hé）时（shí）止（zhǐ）而（ér）不（bù）盈（yíng）；（）尾（wěi）闾（lǘ）泄（xiè）之（zhī），（）不（bù）知（zhī）何（hé）时（shí）已（yǐ）而（ér）不（bù）虚（xū）；（）春（chūn）秋（qiū）不（bù）变（biàn），（）水（shuǐ）旱（hàn）不（bù）知（zhī）。（）此（cǐ）其（qí）过（guò）江（jiāng）河（hé）之（zhī）流（liú），（）不（bù）可（kě）为（wèi）量（liàng）数（shù）。（）

Of the waters under Heaven, none is greater than the sea: the myriad rivers return to it, and no one knows when they stop, yet it is never full; Wei Lü drains it away, and no one knows when that stops, yet it is never empty; it does not change through spring or autumn, and knows neither flood nor drought. Its excess over the flow of the rivers cannot be measured or numbered.

而（ér）吾（wú）未（wèi）尝（cháng）以（yǐ）此（cǐ）自（zì）多（duō）者（zhě），（）自（zì）以（yǐ）比（bǐ）形（xíng）于（yú）天（tiān）地（dì），（）而（ér）受（shòu）气（qì）于（yú）阴（yīn）阳（yáng），（）吾（wú）在（zài）于（yú）天（tiān）地（dì）之（zhī）间（jiān），（）犹（yóu）小（xiǎo）石（shí）小（xiǎo）木（mù）之（zhī）在（zài）大（dà）山（shān）也（yě）。（）方（fāng）存（cún）乎（hū）见（jiàn）少（shǎo），（）又（yòu）奚（xī）以（yǐ）自（zì）多（duō）！（）计（jì）四（sì）海（hǎi）之（zhī）在（zài）天（tiān）地（dì）之（zhī）间（jiān）也（yě），（）不（bù）似（shì）礨（lěi）空（kǒng）之（zhī）在（zài）大（dà）泽（zé）乎（hū）？（）

Yet I have never prided myself on this. I compare my own form with Heaven and Earth and receive qi from yin and yang; my being between Heaven and Earth is like a small stone or a small tree on a great mountain. Since I recognize my own smallness, how could I pride myself? If one reckons the place of the Four Seas between Heaven and Earth, is it not like a small hole in a great marsh?

计（jì）中（zhōng）国（guó）之（zhī）在（zài）海（hǎi）内（nèi）不（bù）似（shì）稊（tí）米（mǐ）之（zhī）在（zài）太（tài）仓（cāng）乎（hū）？（）号（hào）物（wù）之（zhī）数（shù）谓（wèi）之（zhī）万（wàn），（）人（rén）处（chù）一（yī）焉（yān）；（）人（rén）卒（zú）九（jiǔ）州（zhōu），（）谷（gǔ）食（shí）之（zhī）所（suǒ）生（shēng），（）舟（zhōu）车（chē）之（zhī）所（suǒ）通（tōng），（）人（rén）处（chù）一（yī）焉（yān）。（）此（cǐ）其（qí）比（bǐ）万（wàn）物（wù）也（yě），（）不（bù）似（shì）毫（háo）末（mò）之（zhī）在（zài）于（yú）马（mǎ）体（tǐ）乎（hū）？（）

Consider: are the central states within the seas not like a grain of millet in a great granary? The count of things is called 'ten thousand,' and humans are only one of them. People fill the nine provinces—where grain grows and boats and carts travel—and humans are only one among them. Compared with the myriad things, are humans not like the tip of a hair on a horse's body?

五（wǔ）帝（dì）之（zhī）所（suǒ）连（lián），（）三（sān）王（wáng）之（zhī）所（suǒ）争（zhēng），（）仁（rén）人（rén）之（zhī）所（suǒ）忧（yōu），（）任（rèn）士（shì）之（zhī）所（suǒ）劳（láo），（）尽（jǐn）此（cǐ）矣（yǐ）！（）伯（bó）夷（yí）辞（cí）之（zhī）以（yǐ）为（wéi）名（míng），（）仲（zhòng）尼（ní）语（yǔ）之（zhī）以（yǐ）为（wéi）博（bó）。（）此（cǐ）其（qí）自（zì）多（duō）也（yě），（）不（bù）似（shì）尔（ěr）向（xiàng）之（zhī）自（zì）多（duō）于（yú）水（shuǐ）乎（hū）？（）”（）

What the Five Emperors carried on in succession, what the Three Kings fought for, what the benevolent worry about, and what men of responsibility labor for—all of it is contained in this! Bo Yi declined it to make a name; Zhongni spoke of it to appear erudite. Is this self-importance of theirs not like your earlier self-importance about the water?

河（hé）伯（bó）曰（yuē）：（）“（）然（rán）则（zé）吾（wú）大（dà）天（tiān）地（dì）而（ér）小（xiǎo）毫（háo）末（mò），（）可（kě）乎（hū）？（）”（）

He Bo said, 'If that is so, may I regard heaven and earth as great and the tip of a hair as small?'

北（běi）海（hǎi）若（ruò）曰（yuē）：（）“（）否（fǒu）。（）夫（fū）物（wù）量（liàng）无（wú）穷（qióng），（）时（shí）无（wú）止（zhǐ），（）分（fèn）无（wú）常（cháng），（）终（zhōng）始（shǐ）无（wú）故（gù）。（）是（shì）故（gù）大（dà）知（zhì）观（guān）于（yú）远（yuǎn）近（jìn），（）故（gù）小（xiǎo）而（ér）不（bù）寡（guǎ），（）大（dà）而（ér）不（bù）多（duō）：（）知（zhī）量（liàng）无（wú）穷（qióng）。（）证（zhèng）向（xiàng）今（jīn）故（gù），（）故（gù）遥（yáo）而（ér）不（bù）闷（mèn），（）掇（duō）而（ér）不（bù）跂（qí）：（）知（zhī）时（shí）无（wú）止（zhǐ）。（）察（chá）乎（hū）盈（yíng）虚（xū），（）故（gù）得（dé）而（ér）不（bù）喜（xǐ），（）失（shī）而（ér）不（bù）忧（yōu）：（）知（zhī）分（fèn）之（zhī）无（wú）常（cháng）也（yě）。（）

Ruo of the North Sea said: “No. The quantities of things are inexhaustible; time does not halt; divisions have no constancy; beginnings and ends have no fixed pattern or constancy. Therefore the person of great wisdom observes far and near, and so does not regard the small as meager or the great as excessive: he knows that quantity is inexhaustible. He examines past and present, and so, though distant, he is not gloomy; when he picks something up, he does not have to stand on tiptoe: he knows that time does not halt. He discerns fullness and emptiness, and so is not delighted by gain nor grieved by loss: he knows that divisions have no constancy.”

明（míng）乎（hū）坦（tǎn）涂（tú），（）故（gù）生（shēng）而（ér）不（bù）说（yuè），（）死（sǐ）而（ér）不（bù）祸（huò）：（）知（zhī）终（zhōng）始（shǐ）之（zhī）不（bù）可（kě）故（gù）也（yě）。（）计（jì）人（rén）之（zhī）所（suǒ）知（zhī），（）不（bù）若（ruò）其（qí）所（suǒ）不（bù）知（zhī）；（）其（qí）生（shēng）之（zhī）时（shí），（）不（bù）若（ruò）未（wèi）生（shēng）之（zhī）时（shí）；（）以（yǐ）其（qí）至（zhì）小（xiǎo），（）求（qiú）穷（qióng）其（qí）至（zhì）大（dà）之（zhī）域（yù），（）是（shì）故（gù）迷（mí）乱（luàn）而（ér）不（bù）能（néng）自（zì）得（dé）也（yě）。（）

Having clarity about the level road, he therefore does not rejoice in life and does not regard death as a calamity: he knows that beginnings and endings cannot be fixed or predetermined. What people know is not as much as what they do not know; the time they are alive is not as much as the time before they were born. With what is utterly small, they seek to exhaust the realm of what is utterly great; therefore they are confused and disordered and cannot attain self-possession.

由（yóu）此（cǐ）观（guān）之（zhī），（）又（yòu）何（hé）以（yǐ）知（zhī）毫（háo）末（mò）之（zhī）足（zú）以（yǐ）定（dìng）至（zhì）细（xì）之（zhī）倪（ní），（）又（yòu）何（hé）以（yǐ）知（zhī）天（tiān）地（dì）之（zhī）足（zú）以（yǐ）穷（qióng）至（zhì）大（dà）之（zhī）域（yù）！（）”（）

Viewed from this, how could one know that the tip of a hair is sufficient to establish the boundary of the finest, or that Heaven and Earth are sufficient to exhaust the realm of the greatest?

河（hé）伯（bó）曰（yuē）：（）“（）世（shì）之（zhī）议（yì）者（zhě）皆（jiē）曰（yuē）：（）‘（）至（zhì）精（jīng）无（wú）形（xíng），（）至（zhì）大（dà）不（bù）可（kě）围（wéi）。（）’（）

He Bo said, “Those who discuss things in the world all say, ‘The finest has no form; the greatest cannot be encompassed.’”

是（shì）信（xìn）情（qíng）乎（hū）？（）”（）

Is this truly the case?”

北（běi）海（hǎi）若（ruò）曰（yuē）：（）“（）夫（fū）自（zì）细（xì）视（shì）大（dà）者（zhě）不（bù）尽（jìn），（）自（zì）大（dà）视（shì）细（xì）者（zhě）不（bù）明（míng）。（）夫（fū）精（jīng），（）小（xiǎo）之（zhī）微（wēi）也（yě）；（）垺（fú），（）大（dà）之（zhī）殷（yīn）也（yě）：（）故（gù）异（yì）便（biàn）。（）此（cǐ）势（shì）之（zhī）有（yǒu）也（yě）。（）夫（fū）精（jīng）粗（cū）者（zhě），（）期（qī）于（yú）有（yǒu）形（xíng）者（zhě）也（yě）；（）无（wú）形（xíng）者（zhě），（）数（shù）之（zhī）所（suǒ）不（bù）能（néng）分（fēn）也（yě）；（）不（bù）可（kě）围（wéi）者（zhě），（）数（shù）之（zhī）所（suǒ）不（bù）能（néng）穷（qióng）也（yě）。（）

Beihai Ruo said, “When one views the great from the small, one does not exhaust it; when one views the small from the great, one does not see it clearly. The refined is the minute within the small; the abundant is the fullness within the great: hence their different aptnesses. This is inherent in circumstances. The refined and the coarse are both limited to what has form; the formless is what number cannot divide; the unencompassable is what number cannot exhaust.”

可（kě）以（yǐ）言（yán）论（lùn）者（zhě），（）物（wù）之（zhī）粗（cū）也（yě）；（）可（kě）以（yǐ）意（yì）致（zhì）者（zhě），（）物（wù）之（zhī）精（jīng）也（yě）；（）言（yán）之（zhī）所（suǒ）不（bù）能（néng）论（lùn），（）意（yì）之（zhī）所（suǒ）不（bù）能（néng）察（chá）致（zhì）者（zhě），（）不（bù）期（qī）精（jīng）粗（cū）焉（yān）。（）

What can be discussed in words is the coarse aspect of things; what can be reached by the mind is the refined aspect of things. What words cannot discuss and the mind cannot examine and reach does not fall within the scope of the refined or the coarse.

是（shì）故（gù）大（dà）人（rén）之（zhī）行（xíng）：（）不（bù）出（chū）乎（hū）害（hài）人（rén），（）不（bù）多（duō）仁（rén）恩（ēn）；（）动（dòng）不（bù）为（wèi）利（lì），（）不（bù）贱（jiàn）门（mén）隶（lì）；（）货（huò）财（cái）弗（fú）争（zhēng），（）不（bù）多（duō）辞（cí）让（ràng）；（）事（shì）焉（yān）不（bù）借（jiè）人（rén），（）不（bù）多（duō）食（shí）乎（hū）力（lì），（）不（bù）贱（jiàn）贪（tān）污（wū）；（）行（xíng）殊（shū）乎（hū）俗（sú），（）不（bù）多（duō）辟（pì）异（yì）；（）为（wèi）在（zài）从（cóng）众（zhòng），（）不（bù）贱（jiàn）佞（nìng）谄（chǎn）；（）世（shì）之（zhī）爵（jué）禄（lù）不（bù）足（zú）以（yǐ）为（wéi）劝（quàn），（）戮（lù）耻（chǐ）不（bù）足（zú）以（yǐ）为（wéi）辱（rǔ）；（）知（zhī）是（shì）非（fēi）之（zhī）不（bù）可（kě）为（wèi）分（fēn），（）细（xì）大（dà）之（zhī）不（bù）可（kě）为（wèi）倪（ní）。（）

Therefore the conduct of the Great Man is such that he does not set out to harm others, nor does he make much of benevolence and kindness; he acts not for profit, nor does he regard gate servants as base; he does not contend for goods and wealth, nor does he make much of declining and yielding; in affairs he does not rely on others, nor does he make much of earning his food by his own strength, nor does he regard the greedy and corrupt as base; his conduct differs from the vulgar, nor does he make much of perverse oddity; his action lies in following the multitude, nor does he regard flatterers and sycophants as base; the ranks and salaries of the world are not enough to encourage him, and execution and disgrace are not enough to shame him; he knows that right and wrong cannot be made into fixed divisions, and that small and great cannot be made into boundaries.

闻（wén）曰（yuē）：（）‘（）道（dào）人（rén）不（bù）闻（wén），（）至（zhì）德（dé）不（bù）得（dé），（）大（dà）人（rén）无（wú）己（jǐ）。（）’（）

I have heard it said: ‘The man of the Way is not heard of; perfect virtue does not attain anything; the Great Man has no self.’

约（yuē）分（fēn）之（zhī）至（zhì）也（yě）。（）”（）

This is the utmost of keeping within one’s proper bounds and restraining distinctions.

河（hé）伯（bó）曰（yuē）：（）“（）若（ruò）物（wù）之（zhī）外（wài），（）若（ruò）物（wù）之（zhī）内（nèi），（）恶（wū）至（zhì）而（ér）倪（ní）贵（guì）贱（jiàn）？（）恶（wū）至（zhì）而（ér）倪（ní）小（xiǎo）大（dà）？（）”（）

He Bo said: “If we look at the outside of things, or at the inside of things, where can we arrive to distinguish noble from base? Where can we arrive to distinguish small from great?”

北（běi）海（hǎi）若（ruò）曰（yuē）：（）“（）以（yǐ）道（dào）观（guàn）之（zhī），（）物（wù）无（wú）贵（guì）贱（jiàn）；（）以（yǐ）物（wù）观（guān）之（zhī），（）自（zì）贵（guì）而（ér）相（xiāng）贱（jiàn）；（）以（yǐ）俗（sú）观（guān）之（zhī），（）贵（guì）贱（jiàn）不（bù）在（zài）己（jǐ）。（）以（yǐ）差（chà）观（guān）之（zhī），（）因（yīn）其（qí）所（suǒ）大（dà）而（ér）大（dà）之（zhī），（）则（zé）万（wàn）物（wù）莫（mò）不（bù）大（dà）；（）因（yīn）其（qí）所（suǒ）小（xiǎo）而（ér）小（xiǎo）之（zhī），（）则（zé）万（wàn）物（wù）莫（mò）不（bù）小（xiǎo）。（）

Beihai Ruo said: “Viewed from the Way, things have no noble or base; viewed from things, each regards itself as noble and treats others as base; viewed from custom, noble and base do not lie in oneself. Viewed from difference, by following what is great in a thing and making it great, none of the myriad things is not great; by following what is small in a thing and making it small, none of the myriad things is not small.”

知（zhī）天（tiān）地（dì）之（zhī）为（wèi）稊（tí）米（mǐ）也（yě），（）知（zhī）毫（háo）末（mò）之（zhī）为（wèi）丘（qiū）山（shān）也（yě），（）则（zé）差（chā）数（shù）睹（dǔ）矣（yǐ）。（）以（yǐ）功（gōng）观（guān）之（zhī），（）因（yīn）其（qí）所（suǒ）有（yǒu）而（ér）有（yǒu）之（zhī），（）则（zé）万（wàn）物（wù）莫（mò）不（bù）有（yǒu）；（）因（yīn）其（qí）所（suǒ）无（wú）而（ér）无（wú）之（zhī），（）则（zé）万（wàn）物（wù）莫（mò）不（bù）无（wú）。（）知（zhī）东（dōng）西（xī）之（zhī）相（xiāng）反（fǎn）而（ér）不（bù）可（kě）以（yǐ）相（xiāng）无（wú），（）则（zé）功（gōng）分（fēn）定（dìng）矣（yǐ）。（）

To know that heaven and earth are but a tiny grain, and that the tip of a hair is like a mound or mountain—then the measures of difference are seen. Viewed in terms of function: if, following what a thing has, one treats it as having, then none of the myriad things is without having; if, following what it lacks, one treats it as lacking, then none is without lacking. Know that east and west are opposite yet cannot be without each other, and the divisions of function are fixed.

以（yǐ）趣（qū）观（guān）之（zhī），（）因（yīn）其（qí）所（suǒ）然（rán）而（ér）然（rán）之（zhī），（）则（zé）万（wàn）物（wù）莫（mò）不（bù）然（rán）；（）因（yīn）其（qí）所（suǒ）非（fēi）而（ér）非（fēi）之（zhī），（）则（zé）万（wàn）物（wù）莫（mò）不（bù）非（fēi）。（）知（zhī）尧（yáo）、（）桀（jié）之（zhī）自（zì）然（rán）而（ér）相（xiāng）非（fēi），（）则（zé）趣（qū）操（cāo）睹（dǔ）矣（yǐ）。（）昔（xī）者（zhě）尧（yáo）、（）舜（shùn）让（ràng）而（ér）帝（dì），（）之（zhī）、（）哙（kuài）让（ràng）而（ér）绝（jué）；（）汤（tāng）、（）武（wǔ）争（zhēng）而（ér）王（wáng），（）白（bái）公（gōng）争（zhēng）而（ér）灭（miè）。（）

Viewed in terms of inclination: if, following what a thing takes to be so, one takes it to be so, then none of the myriad things is not so; if, following what it takes not to be so, one takes it not to be so, then there is nothing that is not taken as not so. If one knows that Yao and Jie each are as they are by nature and condemn one another, then inclinations and conduct are evident. In former times Yao and Shun yielded and became emperors; Zizhi and Kuai yielded and were cut off; Tang and Wu contended and became kings; Duke Bai contended and was destroyed.

由（yóu）此（cǐ）观（guān）之（zhī），（）争（zhēng）让（ràng）之（zhī）礼（lǐ），（）尧（yáo）、（）桀（jié）之（zhī）行（xíng），（）贵（guì）贱（jiàn）有（yǒu）时（shí），（）未（wèi）可（kě）以（yǐ）为（wéi）常（cháng）也（yě）。（）梁（liáng）丽（lì）可（kě）以（yǐ）冲（chōng）城（chéng）而（ér）不（bù）可（kě）以（yǐ）窒（zhì）穴（xué），（）言（yán）殊（shū）器（qì）也（yě）；（）骐（qí）骥（jì）骅（huá）骝（liú）一（yī）日（rì）而（ér）驰（chí）千（qiān）里（lǐ），（）捕（bǔ）鼠（shǔ）不（bù）如（rú）狸（lí）狌（shēng），（）言（yán）殊（shū）技（jì）也（yě）；（）鸱（chī）鸺（xiū）夜（yè）撮（cuō）蚤（zǎo），（）察（chá）毫（háo）末（mò），（）昼（zhòu）出（chū）瞋（chēn）目（mù）而（ér）不（bú）见（jiàn）丘（qiū）山（shān），（）言（yán）殊（shū）性（xìng）也（yě）。（）

From this we see that the rites of contention and yielding, and the conduct of Yao and Jie—whether they are honored or despised depends on the time, and they cannot be taken as constant rules. A great beam can be used to ram a city wall but cannot plug a hole: this speaks of different implements. The fine horses Qiji and Hualiu can gallop a thousand li in a day, but in catching rats they are not as good as wildcats and weasels: this speaks of different skills. The owl can seize fleas at night and discern the tip of a hair, but when it comes out by day and glares, it cannot see a mound or mountain: this speaks of different natures.

故（gù）曰（yuē）：（）盖（gài）师（shī）是（shì）而（ér）无（wú）非（fēi），（）师（shī）治（zhì）而（ér）无（wú）乱（luàn）乎（hū）？（）是（shì）未（wèi）明（míng）天（tiān）地（dì）之（zhī）理（lǐ），（）万（wàn）物（wù）之（zhī）情（qíng）也（yě）。（）是（shì）犹（yóu）师（shī）天（tiān）而（ér）无（wú）地（dì），（）师（shī）阴（yīn）而（ér）无（wú）阳（yáng），（）其（qí）不（bù）可（kě）行（xíng）明（míng）矣（yǐ）！（）然（rán）且（qiě）语（yǔ）而（ér）不（bù）舍（shě），（）非（fēi）愚（yú）则（zé）诬（wū）也（yě）！（）帝（dì）王（wáng）殊（shū）禅（chán），（）三（sān）代（dài）殊（shū）继（jì）。（）

Therefore it is said: Would one take 'right' as the model and have no 'wrong,' take 'order' as the model and have no 'disorder'? This is to fail to understand the principle of Heaven and Earth and the true nature of the myriad things. It is like taking Heaven as model but not Earth, taking Yin as model but not Yang; that this cannot work is clear. Yet to keep talking about it without letting it go—this is either foolishness or deception. The emperors and kings differed in their abdications; the Three Dynasties differed in their succession.

差（chā）其（qí）时（shí），（）逆（nì）其（qí）俗（sú）者（zhě），（）谓（wèi）之（zhī）篡（cuàn）夫（fū）；（）当（dāng）其（qí）时（shí），（）顺（shùn）其（qí）俗（sú）者（zhě），（）谓（wèi）之（zhī）义（yì）之（zhī）徒（tú）。（）默（mò）默（mò）乎（hū）河（hé）伯（bó），（）女（rǔ）恶（wū）知（zhī）贵（guì）贱（jiàn）之（zhī）门（mén），（）小（xiǎo）大（dà）之（zhī）家（jiā）！（）”（）

Those who miss the time and go against its customs are called usurpers; those who match the time and follow its customs are called followers of righteousness. Be silent, He Bo! How could you know the ways of distinguishing noble from base, and great from small!

河（hé）伯（bó）曰（yuē）：（）“（）然（rán）则（zé）我（wǒ）何（hé）为（wèi）乎（hū）？（）何（hé）不（bù）为（wèi）乎（hū）？（）吾（wú）辞（cí）受（shòu）趣（qū）舍（shě），（）吾（wú）终（zhōng）奈（nài）何（hé）？（）”（）

He Bo said: 'If so, what should I do? What should I not do? In declining and accepting, choosing and rejecting, what am I ultimately to do?'

北（běi）海（hǎi）若（ruò）曰（yuē）：（）“（）以（yǐ）道（dào）观（guàn）之（zhī），（）何（hé）贵（guì）何（hé）贱（jiàn），（）是（shì）谓（wèi）反（fǎn）衍（yǎn）；（）无（wú）拘（jū）而（ér）志（zhì），（）与（yǔ）道（dào）大（dà）蹇（jiǎn）。（）何（hé）少（shǎo）何（hé）多（duō），（）是（shì）谓（wèi）谢（xiè）施（shī）；（）无（wú）一（yī）而（ér）行（xíng），（）与（yǔ）道（dào）参（cēn）差（cī）。（）严（yán）乎（hū）若（ruò）国（guó）之（zhī）有（yǒu）君（jūn），（）其（qí）无（wú）私（sī）德（dé）；（）繇（yáo）繇（yáo）乎（hū）若（ruò）祭（jì）之（zhī）有（yǒu）社（shè），（）其（qí）无（wú）私（sī）福（fú）；（）泛（fàn）泛（fàn）乎（hū）其（qí）若（ruò）四（sì）方（fāng）之（zhī）无（wú）穷（qióng），（）其（qí）无（wú）所（suǒ）畛（zhěn）域（yù）。（）

Ruo of the North Sea said: “Viewed from the Dao, what is noble and what is base? This is called fan-yan, ‘reversal and extension.’ Do not fetter your will; if you fetter it, you will be greatly obstructed from the Dao. What is few and what is many? This is called xie-shi, ‘alternating bestowal.’ Do not proceed by fixing on one side; if you do, you will be uneven with the Dao. How august—like a state having a ruler, yet it has no partial virtue! How expansive—like a sacrifice having the earth-god, yet it has no partial blessing! How vast—like the four directions being inexhaustible, with no boundaries at all.”

兼（jiān）怀（huái）万（wàn）物（wù），（）其（qí）孰（shú）承（chéng）翼（yì）？（）是（shì）谓（wèi）无（wú）方（fāng）。（）万（wàn）物（wù）一（yī）齐（qí），（）孰（shú）短（duǎn）孰（shú）长（zhǎng）？（）道（dào）无（wú）终（zhōng）始（shǐ），（）物（wù）有（yǒu）死（sǐ）生（shēng），（）不（bù）恃（shì）其（qí）成（chéng）。（）一（yī）虚（xū）一（yī）满（mǎn），（）不（bù）位（wèi）乎（hū）其（qí）形（xíng）。（）年（nián）不（bù）可（kě）举（jǔ），（）时（shí）不（bù）可（kě）止（zhǐ）。（）消（xiāo）息（xī）盈（yíng）虚（xū），（）终（zhōng）则（zé）有（yǒu）始（shǐ）。（）是（shì）所（suǒ）以（yǐ）语（yǔ）大（dà）义（yì）之（zhī）方（fāng），（）论（lùn）万（wàn）物（wù）之（zhī）理（lǐ）也（yě）。（）物（wù）之（zhī）生（shēng）也（yě），（）若（ruò）骤（zhòu）若（ruò）驰（chí）。（）

“Embracing all things, who could bear and support them? This is called having no fixed direction. The myriad things are all leveled as one; who is short, who is long? The Dao has no end or beginning; things have death and life, and there is no reliance on a fixed state of completion. Now empty, now full, they do not abide fixed in their form. Years cannot be held back; time cannot be stopped. Waning and waxing, filling and emptying—when it ends, there is beginning. This is how one speaks of the principles of the Great Meaning and discusses the patterns of the myriad things. The arising of things is like a sudden rush, like a gallop.”

无（wú）动（dòng）而（ér）不（bù）变（biàn），（）无（wú）时（shí）而（ér）不（bù）移（yí）。（）何（hé）为（wèi）乎（hū），（）何（hé）不（bù）为（wèi）乎（hū）？（）夫（fū）固（gù）将（jiāng）自（zì）化（huà）。（）”（）

“There is no movement without change, no moment without shifting. What should be done? What should not be done? They will certainly transform of themselves.”

河（hé）伯（bó）曰（yuē）：（）“（）然（rán）则（zé）何（hé）贵（guì）于（yú）道（dào）邪（yé）？（）”（）

The Lord of the River said, 'If that is so, then what is there to value about the Way?'

北（běi）海（hǎi）若（ruò）曰（yuē）：（）“（）知（zhī）道（dào）者（zhě）必（bì）达（dá）于（yú）理（lǐ），（）达（dá）于（yú）理（lǐ）者（zhě）必（bì）明（míng）于（yú）权（quán），（）明（míng）于（yú）权（quán）者（zhě）不（bù）以（yǐ）物（wù）害（hài）己（jǐ）。（）至（zhì）德（dé）者（zhě），（）火（huǒ）弗（fú）能（néng）热（rè），（）水（shuǐ）弗（fú）能（néng）溺（nì），（）寒（hán）暑（shǔ）弗（fú）能（néng）害（hài），（）禽（qín）兽（shòu）弗（fú）能（néng）贼（zéi）。（）非（fēi）谓（wèi）其（qí）薄（báo）之（zhī）也（yě），（）言（yán）察（chá）乎（hū）安（ān）危（wēi），（）宁（níng）于（yú）祸（huò）福（fú），（）谨（jǐn）于（yú）去（qù）就（jiù），（）莫（mò）之（zhī）能（néng）害（hài）也（yě）。（）

The Lord of the North Sea said, 'One who knows the Way must reach through to principle; one who reaches through to principle must be clear about weighing circumstances; one who is clear about weighing circumstances does not allow things to harm himself. For one of ultimate virtue, fire cannot heat him, water cannot drown him, cold and heat cannot injure him, and birds and beasts cannot harm him. This does not mean that he makes light of them; it means that he discerns safety and danger, is at peace in misfortune and fortune, is cautious about leaving and staying, and therefore nothing can harm him.'

故（gù）曰（yuē）：（）‘（）天（tiān）在（zài）内（nèi），（）人（rén）在（zài）外（wài），（）德（dé）在（zài）乎（hū）天（tiān）。（）’（）

Therefore it is said, 'The heavenly is within; the human is without; virtue lies in Heaven.'

知（zhī）天（tiān）人（rén）之（zhī）行（xíng），（）本（běn）乎（hū）天（tiān），（）位（wèi）乎（hū）得（dé），（）蹢（zhí）躅（zhú）而（ér）屈（qū）伸（shēn），（）反（fǎn）要（yào）而（ér）语（yǔ）极（jí）。（）”（）

Knowing the course of Heaven and the course of humans: rooted in Heaven, abiding in attainment, hesitating and bending or stretching, returning to the essential and speaking to the utmost.

曰（yuē）：（）“（）何（hé）谓（wèi）天（tiān）？（）何（hé）谓（wèi）人（rén）？（）”（）

Someone asked, 'What is meant by Heaven? What is meant by human?'

北（běi）海（hǎi）若（ruò）曰（yuē）：（）“（）牛（niú）马（mǎ）四（sì）足（zú），（）是（shì）谓（wèi）天（tiān）；（）落（luò）马（mǎ）首（shǒu），（）穿（chuān）牛（niú）鼻（bí），（）是（shì）谓（wèi）人（rén）。（）故（gù）曰（yuē）：（）‘（）无（wú）以（yǐ）人（rén）灭（miè）天（tiān），（）无（wú）以（yǐ）故（gù）灭（miè）命（mìng），（）无（wú）以（yǐ）得（dé）殉（xùn）名（míng）。（）谨（jǐn）守（shǒu）而（ér）勿（wù）失（shī），（）是（shì）谓（wèi）反（fǎn）其（qí）真（zhēn）。（）’（）”（）

Beihai Ruo said: 'Oxen and horses have four feet: this is called Heaven. To halter a horse's head and pierce an ox's nose: this is called human. Therefore it is said: "Do not use the human to destroy Heaven; do not use contrivance to destroy the mandate; do not sacrifice one's attainment for fame. Carefully guard it and do not lose it—this is called returning to one's true nature."'

夔（kuí）怜（lián）蚿（xián），（）蚿（xián）怜（lián）蛇（shé），（）蛇（shé）怜（lián）风（fēng），（）风（fēng）怜（lián）目（mù），（）目（mù）怜（lián）心（xīn）。（）夔（kuí）谓（wèi）蚿（xián）曰（yuē）：（）“（）吾（wú）以（yǐ）一（yī）足（zú）趻（chěn）踔（chuō）而（ér）行（xíng），（）予（yú）无（wú）如（rú）矣（yǐ）。（）今（jīn）子（zi）之（zhī）使（shǐ）万（wàn）足（zú），（）独（dú）奈（nài）何（hé）？（）”（）

Kui envied the millipede, the millipede envied the snake, the snake envied the wind, the wind envied the eye, and the eye envied the mind. Kui said to the millipede, 'I hop along on one foot; I have no better way. Now you make use of ten thousand feet—how do you manage it?'

蚿（xián）曰（yuē）：（）“（）不（bù）然（rán）。（）子（zi）不（bú）见（jiàn）夫（fū）唾（tuò）者（zhě）乎（hū）？（）喷（pēn）则（zé）大（dà）者（zhě）如（rú）珠（zhū），（）小（xiǎo）者（zhě）如（rú）雾（wù），（）杂（zá）而（ér）下（xià）者（zhě）不（bù）可（kě）胜（shèng）数（shǔ）也（yě）。（）今（jīn）予（yú）动（dòng）吾（wú）天（tiān）机（jī），（）而（ér）不（bù）知（zhī）其（qí）所（suǒ）以（yǐ）然（rán）。（）”（）

The millipede said, 'Not so. Have you not seen spittle? When it is sprayed out, the larger drops are like pearls, the smaller like mist, and the mixed falling drops cannot be counted. Now I move by my natural mechanism, yet I do not know why it is so.'

蚿（xián）谓（wèi）蛇（shé）曰（yuē）：（）“（）吾（wú）以（yǐ）众（zhòng）足（zú）行（xíng），（）而（ér）不（bù）及（jí）子（zi）之（zhī）无（wú）足（zú），（）何（hé）也（yě）？（）”（）

The millipede said to the snake, 'I walk with many feet, yet I do not come up to you who have no feet. Why is that?'

蛇（shé）曰（yuē）：（）“（）夫（fū）天（tiān）机（jī）之（zhī）所（suǒ）动（dòng），（）何（hé）可（kě）易（yì）邪（xié）？（）吾（wú）安（ān）用（yòng）足（zú）哉（zāi）！（）”（）

The snake said, "When the heavenly mechanism sets things in motion, how can it be changed? What use have I for feet?"

蛇（shé）谓（wèi）风（fēng）曰（yuē）：（）“（）予（yú）动（dòng）吾（wú）脊（jǐ）胁（xié）而（ér）行（xíng），（）则（zé）有（yǒu）似（shì）也（yě）。（）今（jīn）子（zi）蓬（péng）蓬（péng）然（rán）起（qǐ）于（yú）北（běi）海（hǎi），（）蓬（péng）蓬（péng）然（rán）入（rù）于（yú）南（nán）海（hǎi），（）而（ér）似（shì）无（wú）有（yǒu），（）何（hé）也（yě）？（）”（）

The snake said to the wind, 'I move my spine and ribs to travel, so I have at least some semblance. Now you rise in a great rush from the North Sea and enter the South Sea in a great rush, and yet you seem to have no existence. Why is that?'

风（fēng）曰（yuē）：（）“（）然（rán），（）予（yǔ）蓬（péng）蓬（péng）然（rán）起（qǐ）于（yú）北（běi）海（hǎi）而（ér）入（rù）于（yú）南（nán）海（hǎi）也（yě），（）然（rán）而（ér）指（zhǐ）我（wǒ）则（zé）胜（shèng）我（wǒ），（）鰌（qiū）我（wǒ）亦（yì）胜（shèng）我（wǒ）。（）虽（suī）然（rán），（）夫（fū）折（zhé）大（dà）木（mù），（）蜚（fēi）大（dà）屋（wū）者（zhě），（）唯（wéi）我（wǒ）能（néng）也（yě）。（）”（）

The wind said, "Yes: I rise in a whirling mass from the North Sea and enter the South Sea. Yet if someone points at me, they overcome me; if someone kicks me, they also overcome me. Even so, only I can break great trees and blow away great houses."

故（gù）以（yǐ）众（zhòng）小（xiǎo）不（bù）胜（shèng）为（wèi）大（dà）胜（shèng）也（yě）。（）为（wèi）大（dà）胜（shèng）者（zhě），（）唯（wéi）圣（shèng）人（rén）能（néng）之（zhī）。（）

Thus, to regard the many small failures to prevail as the great victory—only the sage can achieve the great victory.

孔（kǒng）子（zi）游（yóu）于（yú）匡（kuāng），（）宋（sòng）人（rén）围（wéi）之（zhī）数（shù）匝（zā），（）而（ér）弦（xián）歌（gē）不（bù）惙（chuò）。（）子（zi）路（lù）入（rù）见（jiàn），（）曰（yuē）：（）“（）何（hé）夫（fū）子（zǐ）之（zhī）娱（yú）也（yě）？（）”（）

Confucius was traveling in Kuang. The people of Song surrounded him in several rings, yet he played stringed instruments and sang without stopping. Zilu went in to see him and said, "Why is the Master so delighted?"

孔（kǒng）子（zǐ）曰（yuē）：（）“（）来（lái），（）吾（wú）语（yǔ）女（rǔ）。（）我（wǒ）讳（huì）穷（qióng）久（jiǔ）矣（yǐ），（）而（ér）不（bù）免（miǎn），（）命（mìng）也（yě）；（）求（qiú）通（tōng）久（jiǔ）矣（yǐ），（）而（ér）不（bù）得（dé），（）时（shí）也（yě）。（）当（dāng）尧（yáo）、（）舜（shùn）而（ér）天（tiān）下（xià）无（wú）穷（qióng）人（rén），（）非（fēi）知（zhì）得（dé）也（yě）；（）当（dāng）桀（jié）、（）纣（zhòu）而（ér）天（tiān）下（xià）无（wú）通（tōng）人（rén），（）非（fēi）知（zhì）失（shī）也（yě）：（）时（shí）势（shì）适（shì）然（rán）。（）

Confucius said, “Come, I will tell you. I have long tried to avoid being thwarted, yet cannot escape it: that is fate. I have long sought a path to open, yet have not found one: that is the time. In the age of Yao and Shun, no one was blocked and frustrated, but not because people had gained wisdom; in the age of Jie and Zhou, no one found a way through, but not because people had lost wisdom. Such were the circumstances of the times.”

夫（fū）水（shuǐ）行（xíng）不（bù）避（bì）蛟（jiāo）龙（lóng）者（zhě），（）渔（yú）父（fù）之（zhī）勇（yǒng）也（yě）；（）陆（lù）行（xíng）不（bù）避（bì）兕（sì）虎（hǔ）者（zhě），（）猎（liè）夫（fū）之（zhī）勇（yǒng）也（yě）；（）白（bái）刃（rèn）交（jiāo）于（yú）前（qián），（）视（shì）死（sǐ）若（ruò）生（shēng）者（zhě），（）烈（liè）士（shì）之（zhī）勇（yǒng）也（yě）；（）知（zhī）穷（qióng）之（zhī）有（yǒu）命（mìng），（）知（zhī）通（tōng）之（zhī）有（yǒu）时（shí），（）临（lín）大（dà）难（nàn）而（ér）不（bù）惧（jù）者（zhě），（）圣（shèng）人（rén）之（zhī）勇（yǒng）也（yě）。（）由（yóu），（）处（chù）矣（yǐ）！（）吾（wú）命（mìng）有（yǒu）所（suǒ）制（zhì）矣（yǐ）！（）”（）

To travel on water and not avoid the jiao dragons is the courage of the fisherman; to travel on land and not avoid the rhinoceros or tiger is the courage of the hunter; when white blades cross before one and one regards death as life, that is the courage of the man of valor; to know that obstruction has its fate and that success has its time, and to face great calamity without fear, that is the courage of the sage. You, settle yourself! My destiny has that by which it is constrained.

无（wú）几（jǐ）何（hé），（）将（jiāng）甲（jiǎ）者（zhě）进（jìn），（）辞（cí）曰（yuē）：（）“（）以（yǐ）为（wéi）阳（yáng）虎（hǔ）也（yě），（）故（gù）围（wéi）之（zhī）；（）今（jīn）非（fēi）也（yě），（）请（qǐng）辞（cí）而（ér）退（tuì）。（）”（）

Before long, the one commanding the armored soldiers came forward and said: 'We took you for Yang Hu, and so we surrounded you. Now we know it is not so; please permit us to take our leave and withdraw.'

公（gōng）孙（sūn）龙（lóng）问（wèn）于（yú）魏（wèi）牟（móu）曰（yuē）：（）“（）龙（lóng）少（shǎo）学（xué）先（xiān）王（wáng）之（zhī）道（dào），（）长（zhǎng）而（ér）明（míng）仁（rén）义（yì）之（zhī）行（xíng）；（）合（hé）同（tóng）异（yì），（）离（lí）坚（jiān）白（bái）；（）然（rán）不（bù）然（rán），（）可（kě）不（bù）可（kě）；（）困（kùn）百（bǎi）家（jiā）之（zhī）知（zhī），（）穷（qióng）众（zhòng）口（kǒu）之（zhī）辩（biàn）：（）吾（wú）自（zì）以（yǐ）为（wéi）至（zhì）达（dá）已（yǐ）。（）今（jīn）吾（wú）闻（wén）庄（zhuāng）子（zi）之（zhī）言（yán），（）汒（máng）然（rán）异（yì）之（zhī）。（）不（bù）知（zhī）论（lùn）之（zhī）不（bù）及（jí）与（yǔ）？（）知（zhī）之（zhī）弗（fú）若（ruò）与（yǔ）？（）

Gongsun Long asked Wei Mou, saying: 'When I was young I studied the Way of the former kings; when grown I understood the practice of benevolence and righteousness. I joined sameness and difference; separated hardness and whiteness; made the not-so so and the not-allowable allowable; I confounded the understanding of the Hundred Schools and exhausted the disputations of all mouths. I considered myself supremely penetrating. Now, having heard Zhuangzi's words, I am bewildered and find them strangely different. I do not know whether it is that my discourse does not reach him, or that my knowledge is not equal to his.'

今（jīn）吾（wú）无（wú）所（suǒ）开（kāi）吾（wú）喙（huì），（）敢（gǎn）问（wèn）其（qí）方（fāng）。（）”（）

Now I have no way to open my mouth; I venture to ask the method.”

公（gōng）子（zi）牟（móu）隐（yǐn）机（jī）大（dà）息（xī），（）仰（yǎng）天（tiān）而（ér）笑（xiào）曰（yuē）：（）“（）子（zi）独（dú）不（bù）闻（wén）夫（fū）埳（kǎn）井（jǐng）之（zhī）蛙（wā）乎（hū）？（）谓（wèi）东（dōng）海（hǎi）之（zhī）鳖（biē）曰（yuē）：（）‘（）吾（wú）乐（lè）与（yǔ）！（）出（chū）跳（tiào）梁（liáng）乎（hū）井（jǐng）干（gàn）之（zhī）上（shàng），（）入（rù）休（xiū）乎（hū）缺（quē）甃（zhòu）之（zhī）崖（yá）。（）赴（fù）水（shuǐ）则（zé）接（jiē）腋（yè）持（chí）颐（yí），（）蹶（jué）泥（ní）则（zé）没（méi）足（zú）灭（miè）跗（fū）。（）还（hái）虷（hán）蟹（xiè）与（yǔ）科（kē）斗（dòu），（）莫（mò）吾（wú）能（néng）若（ruò）也（yě）。（）

Prince Mou leaned on a low table, gave a deep sigh, looked up to heaven, and laughed: “Have you, of all people, never heard of the frog in the shallow well? It said to the great soft-shelled turtle of the Eastern Sea: ‘How happy I am! When I go out, I leap and bound on the well railing; when I come in, I rest on the edge of the broken well wall. When I plunge into the water, the water reaches my armpits and holds up my chin; when I trample in the mud, it covers my feet and buries my insteps. I look back at the little worms, crabs, and tadpoles, and none can match me.

且（qiě）夫（fū）擅（shàn）一（yī）壑（hè）之（zhī）水（shuǐ），（）而（ér）跨（kuà）跱（zhì）埳（kǎn）井（jǐng）之（zhī）乐（lè），（）此（cǐ）亦（yì）至（zhì）矣（yǐ）。（）夫（fū）子（zǐ）奚（xī）不（bù）时（shí）来（lái）入（rù）观（guān）乎（hū）？（）’（）

Moreover, to monopolize the water of one ravine and enjoy the pleasures of a shallow well—this too is the utmost. Why, sir, do you not come in from time to time to look?’

东（dōng）海（hǎi）之（zhī）鳖（biē）左（zuǒ）足（zú）未（wèi）入（rù），（）而（ér）右（yòu）膝（xī）已（yǐ）絷（zhí）矣（yǐ）。（）于（yú）是（shì）逡（qūn）巡（xún）而（ér）却（què），（）告（gào）之（zhī）海（hǎi）曰（yuē）：（）‘（）夫（fū）千（qiān）里（lǐ）之（zhī）远（yuǎn），（）不（bù）足（zú）以（yǐ）举（jǔ）其（qí）大（dà）；（）千（qiān）仞（rèn）之（zhī）高（gāo），（）不（bù）足（zú）以（yǐ）极（jí）其（qí）深（shēn）。（）禹（yǔ）之（zhī）时（shí），（）十（shí）年（nián）九（jiǔ）潦（lǎo），（）而（ér）水（shuǐ）弗（fú）为（wèi）加（jiā）益（yì）；（）汤（tāng）之（zhī）时（shí），（）八（bā）年（nián）七（qī）旱（hàn），（）而（ér）崖（yá）不（bù）为（wèi）加（jiā）损（sǔn）。（）

The turtle of the Eastern Sea had not yet put its left foot in when its right knee was already caught. Thereupon it hesitated, drew back, and told [the frog] about the sea, saying: 'A distance of a thousand li is not enough to set forth its greatness; a height of a thousand ren is not enough to exhaust its depth. In Yu's time, there were floods in nine years out of ten, yet the water did not increase because of them; in Tang's time, there were droughts in seven years out of eight, yet the shore did not diminish because of them.'

夫（fū）不（bù）为（wèi）顷（qǐng）久（jiǔ）推（tuī）移（yí），（）不（bù）以（yǐ）多（duō）少（shǎo）进（jìn）退（tuì）者（zhě），（）此（cǐ）亦（yì）东（dōng）海（hǎi）之（zhī）大（dà）乐（lè）也（yě）。（）’（）

Not shifting with the passage of a moment or a long time, not advancing or retreating because of much or little—this, too, is the great joy of the Eastern Sea.

于（yú）是（shì）埳（kǎn）井（jǐng）之（zhī）蛙（wā）闻（wén）之（zhī），（）适（shì）适（shì）然（rán）惊（jīng），（）规（guī）规（guī）然（rán）自（zì）失（shī）也（yě）。（）且（qiě）夫（fū）知（zhī）不（bù）知（zhī）是（shì）非（fēi）之（zhī）竟（jìng），（）而（ér）犹（yóu）欲（yù）观（guān）于（yú）庄（zhuāng）子（zi）之（zhī）言（yán），（）是（shì）犹（yóu）使（shǐ）蚊（wén）负（fù）山（shān），（）商（shāng）蚷（jù）驰（chí）河（hé）也（yě），（）必（bì）不（bù）胜（shèng）任（rèn）矣（yǐ）。（）且（qiě）夫（fū）知（zhī）不（bù）知（zhī）论（lùn）极（jí）妙（miào）之（zhī）言（yán），（）而（ér）自（zì）适（shì）一（yī）时（shí）之（zhī）利（lì）者（zhě），（）是（shì）非（fēi）埳（kǎn）井（jǐng）之（zhī）蛙（wā）与（yǔ）？（）

At this, the frog in the pit-well heard it, was startled with alarm, and in its cramped manner felt utterly lost. Now, to know the limits of what one knows and does not know, and of right and wrong, and yet still wish to observe Zhuangzi's words—this is like making a mosquito carry a mountain or making a shangju insect gallop across a river: one will certainly not be equal to the task. Moreover, knowing what can and cannot be discussed concerning words of the utmost subtlety, and yet making oneself content with the profit of a single moment—is this not the frog in the pit-well?

且（qiě）彼（bǐ）方（fāng）跐（cǐ）黄（huáng）泉（quán）而（ér）登（dēng）大（dà）皇（huáng），（）无（wú）南（nán）无（wú）北（běi），（）奭（shì）然（rán）四（sì）解（jiě），（）沦（lún）于（yú）不（bù）测（cè）；（）无（wú）东（dōng）无（wú）西（xī），（）始（shǐ）于（yú）玄（xuán）冥（míng），（）反（fǎn）于（yú）大（dà）通（tōng）。（）子（zi）乃（nǎi）规（guī）规（guī）然（rán）而（ér）求（qiú）之（zhī）以（yǐ）察（chá），（）索（suǒ）之（zhī）以（yǐ）辩（biàn），（）是（shì）直（zhí）用（yòng）管（guǎn）窥（kuī）天（tiān），（）用（yòng）锥（zhuī）指（zhǐ）地（dì）也（yě），（）不（bù）亦（yì）小（xiǎo）乎（hū）？（）子（zi）往（wǎng）矣（yǐ）！（）

Moreover, he is just now treading the Yellow Springs and ascending to the Great Heaven; with no south or north, expansively released in every respect, he sinks into the unfathomable; with no east or west, he begins in Dark Obscurity and returns to the Great Thoroughfare. Yet you, in a petty, rule-bound way, seek him by scrutiny and search for him by disputation: this is simply looking at heaven through a tube or pointing at the earth with an awl—is it not petty? Go away!

且（qiě）子（zi）独（dú）不（bù）闻（wén）夫（fū）寿（shòu）陵（líng）馀（yú）子（zi）之（zhī）学（xué）于（yú）邯（hán）郸（dān）与（yǔ）？（）未（wèi）得（dé）国（guó）能（néng），（）又（yòu）失（shī）其（qí）故（gù）行（xíng）矣（yǐ），（）直（zhí）匍（pú）匐（fú）而（ér）归（guī）耳（ěr）。（）今（jīn）子（zi）不（bù）去（qù），（）将（jiāng）忘（wàng）子（zi）之（zhī）故（gù），（）失（shī）子（zi）之（zhī）业（yè）。（）”（）

And have you alone not heard of the young man of Shouling who went to study in Handan? Before he had gained the capital's knack, he had already lost his former way of walking, and so he simply crawled home. If you do not leave now, you will forget your former way and lose your own occupation.

公（gōng）孙（sūn）龙（lóng）口（kǒu）呿（qū）而（ér）不（bù）合（hé），（）舌（shé）举（jǔ）而（ér）不（bù）下（xià），（）乃（nǎi）逸（yì）而（ér）走（zǒu）。（）

Gongsun Long's mouth gaped open and would not close; his tongue stuck up and would not come down; then he fled and ran off.

庄（zhuāng）子（zi）钓（diào）于（yú）濮（pú）水（shuǐ）。（）楚（chǔ）王（wáng）使（shǐ）大（dà）夫（fū）二（èr）人（rén）往（wǎng）先（xiān）焉（yān），（）曰（yuē）：（）“（）愿（yuàn）以（yǐ）境（jìng）内（nèi）累（lèi）矣（yǐ）！（）”（）

Zhuangzi was fishing on the Pu River. The King of Chu sent two high officials to go to him first, and they said, 'We wish to burden you with the affairs within our borders.'

庄（zhuāng）子（zi）持（chí）竿（gān）不（bù）顾（gù），（）曰（yuē）：（）“（）吾（wú）闻（wén）楚（chǔ）有（yǒu）神（shén）龟（guī），（）死（sǐ）已（yǐ）三（sān）千（qiān）岁（suì）矣（yǐ）。（）王（wáng）巾（jīn）笥（sì）而（ér）藏（cáng）之（zhī）庙（miào）堂（táng）之（zhī）上（shàng）。（）此（cǐ）龟（guī）者（zhě），（）宁（níng）其（qí）死（sǐ）为（wèi）留（liú）骨（gǔ）而（ér）贵（guì）乎（hū）？（）宁（níng）其（qí）生（shēng）而（ér）曳（yè）尾（wěi）于（yú）涂（tú）中（zhōng）乎（hū）？（）”（）

Zhuangzi held his fishing rod without turning around and said, 'I have heard that Chu has a sacred turtle that has been dead for three thousand years. The king wrapped it in cloth, placed it in a bamboo box, and stored it in the temple hall. For this turtle, would it rather die and leave its bones to be honored, or would it rather live and drag its tail in the mud?'

二（èr）大（dà）夫（fū）曰（yuē）：（）“（）宁（níng）生（shēng）而（ér）曳（yè）尾（wěi）涂（tú）中（zhōng）。（）”（）

The two high officials said, 'It would rather live and drag its tail in the mud.'

庄（zhuāng）子（zi）曰（yuē）：（）“（）往（wǎng）矣（yǐ）！（）吾（wú）将（jiāng）曳（yè）尾（wěi）于（yú）涂（tú）中（zhōng）。（）”（）

Zhuangzi said, 'Go away! I will drag my tail in the mud.'

惠（huì）子（zǐ）相（xiàng）梁（liáng），（）庄（zhuāng）子（zǐ）往（wǎng）见（jiàn）之（zhī）。（）或（huò）谓（wèi）惠（huì）子（zǐ）曰（yuē）：（）“（）庄（zhuāng）子（zǐ）来（lái），（）欲（yù）代（dài）子（zǐ）相（xiàng）。（）”（）

Huizi was chancellor of Liang, and Zhuangzi went to see him. Someone said to Huizi, 'Zhuangzi is coming because he wants to replace you as chancellor.'

于（yú）是（shì）惠（huì）子（zǐ）恐（kǒng），（）搜（sōu）于（yú）国（guó）中（zhōng）三（sān）日（rì）三（sān）夜（yè）。（）庄（zhuāng）子（zǐ）往（wǎng）见（jiàn）之（zhī），（）曰（yuē）：（）“（）南（nán）方（fāng）有（yǒu）鸟（niǎo），（）其（qí）名（míng）为（wèi）鹓（yuān）鶵（chú），（）子（zǐ）知（zhī）之（zhī）乎（hū）？（）夫（fū）鹓（yuān）鶵（chú）发（fā）于（yú）南（nán）海（hǎi）而（ér）飞（fēi）于（yú）北（běi）海（hǎi），（）非（fēi）梧（wú）桐（tóng）不（bù）止（zhǐ），（）非（fēi）练（liàn）实（shí）不（bù）食（shí），（）非（fēi）醴（lǐ）泉（quán）不（bù）饮（yǐn）。（）于（yú）是（shì）鸱（chī）得（dé）腐（fǔ）鼠（shǔ），（）鹓（yuān）鶵（chú）过（guò）之（zhī），（）仰（yǎng）而（ér）视（shì）之（zhī）曰（yuē）：（）‘（）吓（hè）！（）’（）

Thereupon Huizi became afraid and searched throughout the state for three days and three nights. Zhuangzi went to see him and said, 'In the south there is a bird called Yuanchu; do you know it? That Yuanchu sets out from the South Sea and flies to the North Sea. It does not perch except on a wutong tree, does not eat except bamboo seeds, and does not drink except from a sweet spring. Just then an owl got a rotten rat. Yuanchu flew past it; the owl looked up at it and said, “Ha!”'

今（jīn）子（zǐ）欲（yù）以（yǐ）子（zǐ）之（zhī）梁（liáng）国（guó）而（ér）吓（hè）我（wǒ）邪（yé）？（）”（）

And now you want to use your state of Liang to scare me?

庄（zhuāng）子（zǐ）与（yǔ）惠（huì）子（zǐ）游（yóu）于（yú）濠（háo）梁（liáng）之（zhī）上（shàng）。（）庄（zhuāng）子（zǐ）曰（yuē）：（）“（）儵（tiáo）鱼（yú）出（chū）游（yóu）从（cóng）容（róng），（）是（shì）鱼（yú）之（zhī）乐（lè）也（yě）。（）”（）

Zhuangzi and Huizi were strolling on the bridge over the Hao River. Zhuangzi said, “The minnows swim out and about at ease—this is the joy of fish.”

惠子曰∶“子非鱼，安知鱼之乐？”

Huizi said, “You are not a fish—how do you know the joy of fish?”

庄（zhuāng）子（zǐ）曰（yuē）：（）“（）子（zǐ）非（fēi）我（wǒ），（）安（ān）知（zhī）我（wǒ）不（bù）知（zhī）鱼（yú）之（zhī）乐（lè）？（）”（）

Zhuangzi said, 'You are not me, so how do you know that I do not know the joy of the fish?'

惠（huì）子（zǐ）曰（yuē）“（）我（wǒ）非（fēi）子（zǐ），（）固（gù）不（bù）知（zhī）子（zǐ）矣（yǐ）；（）子（zǐ）固（gù）非（fēi）鱼（yú）也（yě），（）子（zǐ）之（zhī）不（bù）知（zhī）鱼（yú）之（zhī）乐（lè），（）全（quán）矣（yǐ）！（）”（）

Huizi said, 'I am not you, so of course I do not know you; you are certainly not a fish, and your not knowing the joy of the fish is beyond doubt.'

庄（zhuāng）子（zǐ）曰（yuē）：（）“（）请（qǐng）循（xún）其（qí）本（běn）。（）子（zǐ）曰（yuē）‘（）汝（rǔ）安（ān）知（zhī）鱼（yú）乐（lè）’（）云（yún）者（zhě），（）既（jì）已（yǐ）知（zhī）吾（wú）知（zhī）之（zhī）而（ér）问（wèn）我（wǒ）。（）我（wǒ）知（zhī）之（zhī）濠（háo）上（shàng）也（yě）。（）”（）

Zhuangzi said, 'Let us go back to the root of the matter. When you said, "How do you know the joy of the fish?"—you already knew that I knew it, and yet you asked me. I know it on the Hao River.'

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